


All That Glitters

by FagurFiskur



Series: 30 day cheesy tropes challenge [7]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragon Castiel, M/M, Virgin Sacrifice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-17
Updated: 2014-03-17
Packaged: 2018-01-16 03:17:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1329898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FagurFiskur/pseuds/FagurFiskur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Dean is a Virgin Sacrifice (yeah, right) and Cas a fire-breathing dragon who only longs for a companion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All That Glitters

**Author's Note:**

> 30 day cheesy trope challenge: #23 - Mythical Creature/Human
> 
> [The challenge](http://ghiraher.tumblr.com/post/37135733342/30-day-cheesy-tropes-challenge)
> 
> Oops so I took the weekend off because I spent all of Saturday being just terribly hungover and then all of Sunday finishing a story I started two years ago. But I'm back on track now! 
> 
> So apparently Dragon Cas is like a thing now? I am all for that. This story takes place in some alternate fantasy universe where people live like it's the middle ages but talk like it's the 21st century. Just go with it.

Being tied down to a cold stone altar in a forest clearing and painted in his own blood was not how Dean had envisioned his Friday night going.

"Don't squirm," the village priestess reprimanded him. "This sigil needs to be perfectly drawn in order to attract the right dragon."

Dean glared at her. "Maybe you should have picked a volunteer who actually volunteered. Or tried fighting the dragon instead of throwing more meat at it."

"We do not have the strength to take on the dragon," the priestess said testily. "A virgin sacrifice will appease the dragon for now, long enough for us to gather our forces and attack."

"And how does that work exactly, when your sacrifice isn't a virgin?"

The priestess ignored Dean as she finished drawing the sigil onto his chest. She and the rest of the villagers were all resolutely ignoring the fact that Dean was not a virgin, as if that would somehow make it true. They weren't too eager to sacrifice anybody else, as Dean was the only youth in town without a family. No one would miss him.

The priestess put away her tools and left the clearing, leaving Dean alone. He tugged furiously at his restraints, grinding the rope against his wrists and ankles until he bled, but it was no use. The anger Dean had been holding onto began to slip away, replaced by almost paralysing fear. The dragon would be there soon and Dean was completely helpless. Even if he managed to free himself, he had no weapons to defend himself. If he fled to the village, he would be dragged back to the clearing, kicking and screaming. If he fled into the forest, it wouldn't be long before his bleeding wounds attracted predators. That was assuming the dragon wouldn't catch up with him first.

And speak of the devil. An colossal shadow passed over the clearing, too quickly for Dean to spot the creature that cast it. For a few moments everything was still, and then there the ground trembled as the dragon landed.

"Shit, shit, shit," Dean muttered, desperately struggling. If the ropes would give just a little bit, he might be able to slip free. He ignored the pain in his wrists, where the skin was beginning to flay from the friction. A little bit of pain was nothing compared to being eaten alive.

"You are not a virgin."

If Dean hadn't been tied down, he might have jumped out of his skin. He craned his head upwards and saw a strange man enter the clearing. He was wearing a tattered tunic tied around his waist and a dismayed frown.

"Help me," Dean pleaded. "Untie me, before the dragon comes."

The stranger's frown deepened and he approached Dean calmly. "You are the virgin sacrifice, correct?"

Dean fought back a disappointed whine and slumped back on the alter, utterly defeated. Figured this guy would be in on it. Why wouldn't he be? Not a single person in the village had protested when Dean had been chosen.

"Answer me."

"Yeah," Dean said dully. "I'm the sacrifice."

"But you are not a virgin."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Well, I'm still going to get eaten by a dragon, so at this point it's all schematics."

"You will not get eaten," the stranger said. Then he reached out and began to untie the ropes around Dean's ankles. "I do not eat human meat. I prefer not to eat meat at all."

"You... what?" Crazy. This guy was crazy, there was no other explanation, but he was at least helping Dean out so that still put him ahead of everyone else Dean knew.

"You are not a virgin," the stranger said again, "but you are beautiful. I suppose you are suitable."

"Suitable?" Dean asked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The stranger ignored Dean's question. "What is your name?"

"What?"

"Your name."

The rope around Dean's ankles fell to the side and he bent his legs, grateful to be able to move them again. "Dean."

"Dean," the stranger repeated, firmly pronouncing the word as if he were committing it to memory. He smiled. "Yes, I like that name." He started untying the ropes around Dean's wrists, careful to peel them away slowly so as to not irritate Dean's wounds. "My name is Castiel."

"Okay..." Dean said slowly. As soon as his left hand was free, he tried to flex it, but that caused a sharp burst of pain. He winced and sat up as Castiel finished untying him.

Then Castiel grabbed onto both his wrists. "Hold still."

"Are you nuts?" Dean said. "We need to get out of here before the dragon comes!"

Castiel raised his head to meet Dean's eyes and Dean froze.

Castiel's eyes were a deep blue and at first, Dean thought the striking color was what had caught his attention. But no, there was something off. He had slit pupils.

"Now will you hold still?" Castiel asked. There was a low rumble in his voice that Dean hadn't noticed before.

Dean opened his mouth to answer, then shut it and nodded. Castiel squeezed his hands around Dean's wrist. Instead of being painful, his touch felt warm. The warmth spread, from Dean's wrists to the tips of his fingers and up to his shoulders.

Castiel let go. Dean stared at his hands; the wounds were gone, as if they'd never been there. "How-"

The world suddenly tilted, as Castiel swept Dean into his arms and launched himself off the ground. Dean instinctively wrapped his arms around Castiel's shoulders and held on for dear life. He looked down but the sight of the forest growing smaller and smaller the further they flew made him dizzy, so he looked up instead.

Castiel had sprouted wings. They were enormous, black and leathery. They certainly looked like they could easily carry both Dean and Castiel, but Dean was still uneasy. Screw uneasy, he was freaking terrified. Man was not meant to fly and if Castiel were to drop him now, Dean would be a bloody splatter on the ground without doubt.

"Calm yourself," Castiel muttered into his ear. Dean could barely hear him over the howling wind. "I am an excellent flier. I will not let you fall."

In response, Dean tightened his hold.

They landed in front of a cave on the mountainside what seemed like an eternity later. Dean squirmed until Castiel put him down. As soon as he tried to stand on his own feet, however, he found he'd been a little too optimistic as his knees immediately gave way. Castiel caught him just before he fell.

"Will you just let me carry you?" he grumbled. "You are in no condition to walk."

"I can walk," Dean protested. "What is this place, anyway?"

"My nest," Castiel said, as if that were obvious.

"Your nest," Dean echoed. "Your... dragon's nest. Because you're a dragon."

The whole scenario had yet to sink in or Dean was sure he would be panicking.

"I am."

"The dragon in the mountainside."

"Yes." Castiel sounded slightly miffed. "What is the point of these questions?"

"You're the one who's been killing our livestock," Dean said, "and wilting our crops."

Castiel's eyes widened. "I have done no such thing! When your priestess summoned me with the sigil, I was asleep. I have been asleep for a long time."

"What's been killing our livestock, if not you?"

Castiel frowned. "The last time I was summoned to protect your livestock, the culprits were wolves. And I suppose the wilting crops could be due to drought."

He looked pointedly up at the clear blue sky. Now that he mentioned it, Dean could not remember the last time it had rained.

"The humans of this valley are mine to protect," Castiel said. "Not to hunt or kill."

"Then why take sacrifices?" Dean asked.

"An exchange for services rendered. I did not make the rules," Castiel added a little defensively. "But I admit that I am fond of the companionship."

"And why do they have to be virgins? Do you have some virgin kink?"

Castiel blushed. "I do not care one way or another, but this is the way the humans decided it. I was surprised to see that they had broken tradition, yes, but I wasn't angered. As I said, you are very beautiful."

Now it was Dean's turn to blush. He averted his gaze from Castiel's suddenly adoring one, trying to think of a different topic. "Are you gonna show me your nest?"

"Ah." Castiel's wing fluttered slightly. "Yes, I am."

They walked in through the opening, down, down, down into the mountain. Castiel kept an arm wrapped around Dean's waist, supporting him as Dean slowly got steadier on his legs. But even if he'd been perfectly all right, Dean had to concede that he might still have needed Castiel to guide him, as they went deeper into the darkness.

Finally, a faint light appeared. It was a warm, golden glow and as they approached it, Dean recognized it as fire. They turned a corner and came upon a humongous cavern, filled with more gold than Dean had ever seen in his life. There were piles of it: coins, jewels, swords and caskets and unshaped lumps. There was a large bonfire somewhere in the middle of the cave, casting its light on the gold and making it glitter.

Dean was suddenly aware that his mouth was hanging open and he snapped it shut. "Cas. This is- it's..."

"Is it all right?" Castiel asked nervously.

Dean cast him a disbelieving glance. " _All right_? I didn't even know there was so much gold in the world."

Castiel straightened and if Dean didn't know better, he'd say he was preening. "It's my hoard. And yours now, too, if you want it."

" _Mine_?" Dean repeated. "Why would you share this with me?"

"You are my companion now, are you not?"

Dean stared incredulously at Castiel, unable to help himself. He had woken up that morning expecting to be eaten alive by lunch. Instead, he was being offered riches beyond his wildest dreams and a position as a dragon's companion. Which Dean was half-way certain was just a fancy way of saying fuck buddy.

"There is more," Castiel said, clearly impatient for Dean to answer. "I can hunt for you, you would never need worry where your next meal came from again. I have silks for you to wear, and furs. Everything you could ever need."

"This is unreal," Dean muttered.

Castiel reached out, gently cradling Dean's face in his hands. His nails, Dean noted absentmindedly, were sharp like claws. "Stay here until sunrise. If you wish, I will then return you to your village." He looked like it killed him to say it but Dean was thankful for the out.

"Yeah, okay."


End file.
